University College
Syllabus
UNIV 111 – Spring 2014
Section: 02
Location: ROSENTHAL 214
Instructor: Mrs. Z. Hinnant-Jones
Office location: HTC 131
E-mail: zhinnant@uncfsu.edu
Phone: 910-672-1639
This course syllabus is designed to inform you of what you can expect from UNIV111 and what is
expected of you in the course. All vital information about course objectives and requirements,
evaluation methods and criteria, schedule of assignments and activities, and other important
matters, are contained in this syllabus. You should read this syllabus carefully at the beginning of the
semester to obtain an overview of the course, and to mark your calendar with assignment and
activity due dates so that you may accommodate them into your schedule. You must also refer to this
syllabus on a daily basis. Remember that as a university student, you are expected to take
responsibility for your own education. While I may remind you of upcoming assignments and
activities, YOU are RESPONSIBLE for fulfilling all requirements of the syllabus, even when I do not
remind you.
Finally, the instructor reserves the right to amend or add to the class syllabus as needed.
II.
Course Description (2-0-2) University Studies is an interdisciplinary introduction to the university
experience, with emphasis on reading, discussions, and critical assessments of selected topics in
literature, science, business, education, politics, economics, and philosophy. Students are
introduced to FSU history, policies, procedures, resources, and support services. This course is
required of students who have been accepted into the Students of Promise program. The
Student Success sections of University Studies provide students the opportunity to create success
both here at Fayetteville State University and in life. Each week students will attend structured
classroom instructions and lab activities where they will learn essential study skills-reading, note
taking, goal setting, time management, test taking, writing and researching for success in college.
Students are also required to participate in self-assessment through structured time in the learning
lab on campus and weekly journal entries on the VIP page. The journal entries and life lab activities
give the student an opportunity to apply the success strategy to enhance their personal outcomes
and experiences while her at FSU.
III.
Textbook:
Downing, Skip, 7th Ed. On course: Strategies for creating success in college and in life. Boston, MA: Wadsworth,
Cengage Learning, 2014.
Brooks, John, ed. Fayetteville State University: Excellence, Mastery, and Maturity. 4th ed. Littleton, MA:
Tapestry Press, 2012 (to be abbreviated throughout syllabus as MM).
The Fayetteville State University Undergraduate Catalog 2013-2014 on-line
Fayetteville State University Student Handbook – on-line
http://www.uncfsu.edu/handbook/
Documents from the University Studies Blackboard website as assigned (Blackboard)
IV. This course has several online resources that students are required to use.

Blackboard: A companion website accessible through Blackboard
(http://blackboard.uncfsu.edu/). Consult Blackboard on a regular basis to keep up with
announcements and/or necessary changes in the schedule. The Blackboard website also has a
number of handouts, readings, and exercises that are REQUIRED as part of the course.
 VIP Page: Students have access to a personalized VIP page that is required for the Academic
Success Plan. All students’ user id and password can be found in EMT Retain.
 FSU E-mail: All FSU students must have an FSU e-mail address. A variety of surveys and other
assignments will be sent to the FSU e-mail address. Students are required to check their FSU e-mail
daily.
Failure to access these resources as directed by your instructor could make it impossible to complete
several assignments and accumulate the maximum number of points for good grade in the course.
V.
UNIV 111 is a service–learning course at Fayetteville State University. Students will spend a
minimum of 4 hours over the course of the semester on a service-learning activity through a combination
of preparation, service, and reflection. This activity will address a need in our community, support our
course objectives, involve a connection between the campus and the world around it, challenge students to
be civically engaged, and involve structured student reflection. We will spend time reflecting on our
service-learning experience through essays, blackboard and class dialogue. While there is an 4 hour
minimum for service to pass the course, your service-learning efforts will be the core of much of the
learning in the course. Therefore, your grade for service learning will come from the tangible class projects
that come out of it rather than simply from completion of the hour minimum. It is the student’s
responsibility to let the instructor know in advance of any obstacles before service assignments are
finalized.
VI.
Course Objectives: This course is designed to help Students of Promise develop the skills and
knowledge necessary for success as university students. To be successful, university students
must:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Know the rules and regulations and procedures of the university;
Practice effective study skills;
Utilize the assistance available through various university offices and resources;
Strengthen basic skills such as reading, writing, speaking, critical thinking and quantitative
skills;
5.
Work effectively with others in carrying out group projects;
6.
Set educational and career goals and develop plans to accomplish these goals; and
7.
Accept responsibility for your own learning and decisions. The objectives of these areas
are essential.
This course will enable the student to:
a) Explain Fayetteville State University’s history, policies, procedures and regulations;
b) Use specific study skills strategies (i.e., note taking, time management, reading, exam preparation)
that will improve academic performance in other courses:
c) Utilize important university services and resources, such as the Chesnutt Library, Career
d) Services, the Personal Development Center, the Business and Finance Office, and the Transfer and
Advisement Center that will assist students in their academic careers at Fayetteville State
University;
e) Improve the ability to express ideas in writing
f) Increase student confidence in making oral presentations to groups
g) Work cooperatively with other students in carrying out joint projects and evaluating each other’s
work
h) Clarify career goals and develop an educational plan consistent with these career goals
i) Recognize the importance of accepting responsibility for meeting deadlines and fulfilling
requirements.
VII.
Course Competencies: Competencies (student objectives) for each class period are included in the
Assignment Schedule following.
VIII.
Evaluation Methods and Criteria: Your final grade will be based on the rubric guidelines,
attendance, and point system. You will earn points for each written assignment and activity
required in the course. Based upon the Fayetteville State University grading scale, the grade
equivalents indicated below.
Final Grade
A
B
C
D
F
Interim Grade
A-F
X
EA
VII.
Points
920-1000
830-919
730-829
640-729
639 or fewer
%
92 - 100
83 - 91.9
73 - 82.9
64 - 72.9
Less than 64
Same as above
No-show
(never
attended—will
become an FN at the end of the term
unless changed.
Excessive Absences (you have
missed more than 10% of the total
contact hours).
Note on Class Attendance: The Fayetteville State University Undergraduate Attendance Policy will
be enforced in this class. In accordance with this policy, please note that if you want to be successful
in college, the single most important habit you can develop is attending class regularly and be
punctual.
Unexcused Absences
1-3
4-6
7 or more
Consequence
Grade may be lowered
Final course grade will be lowered by one letter
grade from calculated grade above.
Course failure.
Tardiness: It is imperative that we begin class on time each day. Three tardy marks will count as
one absence in the enforcement of the attendance policy. Tardiness is defined by arriving after I
call your name when I call the class roll. I will call roll for each class meeting.
VIII.
Assignment Schedule: assignments are due at the beginning of the class for which they are
scheduled. All activities are planned to ensure that students accomplish the objectives for the class.
Understanding the policies, procedures, regulations and resources of the university is an integral
part of your success as a student. Every student must be familiar with how to access the on-line
catalog. You should read the catalog thoroughly at least once and refer to it regularly for
information as needed. You are required to attend (2) two fine art events during the semester. The
events include but are not limited to programs presented by the Lyceum Committee, the
Performing and Fine Arts Department, lectures presented here on campus or activities initiated by
the University College of Fayetteville State University.
IX.
Professional and Cultural Development
Students are required to attend the following events/workshops for Spring 2014:
Professional Development Seminars (to include attendance at FSU Job Fairs)
Guest Lecture/Speakers
Financial Management (can be done in-class)
Performing Fine Arts Events (musical, play, theatre performance)
2
2
2
2
Students will submit a paper that describes your experiences at all events, what you learned from the
events, and how your attendance and participation in the events enhance your social and professional
development skills. If you want to know about programs available on campus which you can use for these
assignments please check the site Blackboard and/or the university calendar I will try to keep you
informed of programs on campus, however, you are responsible for obtaining information as to the time
and location of events which may be used for this assignment. You may choose to attend events off campus,
however the event must be FSU related. In an effort to spare students incurring extra expense, events
presented on campus are encouraged.
Each student will be required to do a professional portfolio presentation
What is a portfolio?
One of the requirements of University Studies is for you to develop a portfolio. A portfolio is a collection of
documents and information you design and create to help you present the best of yourself to other people.
Your portfolio provides an efficient means of telling others about your abilities, accomplishments, interests,
and other information important to whom you are. You can use your portfolio to highlight your strengths
and special talents, those things that make you a unique individual.
Portfolios have long been used by artists; photographers, for example, normally collected samples in a
notebook of works they considered the best and most representative of all their works which can then be
presented to potential buyers and employers. It should be evident from the foregoing discussion that
portfolios are not static documents. A person must continually add new items and delete old items from
his or her portfolio. The portfolio you begin this semester will undergo many changes between now and
the time you graduate. If you regularly update your portfolio during your FSU years, you will have a very
valuable resource to present to potential employers when you graduate.
Your portfolio presentation:
Must be organized well to show that you have good organizational skills.
Must include documents that show you are an effective writer. (Essays, themes and stories that
you have written for this and other classes, personal writings such as original poems or short
stories)
Must show that you have technology skills.
Must be neat.
Should show that you can work well with other people in teams.
Should include documents that show you have been involved in community service.
Should demonstrate that you have leadership skills.
Should include information that shows you can work with people from very diverse backgrounds,
different races, and the opposite sex.
Should show that you have developed the day-to-day job skills such as punctuality and reliability.
Should show that you have research skills, that you can acquire and apply information from a
variety of sources such as technical and reference manuals, libraries, and the Internet.
What should be included in the portfolio presentation?
All documents of your portfolio presentation MUST be on power point slides. You should also have specific
labels identifying each of the sections.
Your portfolio MUST include each of the following:







Mission Statement /career goals
Employment research – U.S. Department of labor, Bureau, Occupational Outlook Handbook,
2008-2009 http://stats.bls.gov/oco/
Resume
Reports, papers, documents, other completed works that reflect your best writing skills
Summaries and documents related to service and extracurricular activities
Letters of commendation and recommendation and/or copies of awards
Evidence that you have technology skills e.g., powerpoint presentation
Each student is required to submit a Letter of Reflection at the end of the semester.
Each student will write an anonymous letter to a future Student Success student who will receive it next
semester. The letter should be two pages in length, typed, and double-spaced with one inch margins and in
Times New Roman, 12-point font. Students should address the letter to a future Student Success (i.e., Dear
Fellow Classmate) and include the following:
1. The student’s original expectations of the course, as well as the reality of the course
2. A reflection on the student’s experience with Personal Growth
3. Advice for a student who has recently been placed on academic probation
Assignment Schedule for the Semester
While this syllabus is the guide which we will use for this semester’s teaching and learning, it is only a
guide. Again, the instructor reserves the right to make changes to the schedule as necessary, to facilitate
the learning process. If changes are necessary, I will notify you in advance either through the Blackboard
website or email.
IX.
Teaching Strategies: A variety of teaching strategies will be used in this class.
The strategies we will use most often are
1.
Visits to/and from various campus resources
2.
Student presentations
3.
Lecture
4.
Computer assisted learning programs
5.
Small group project
6.
Live class discussion
7.
Electronic discussion boards open to all class members